NOVATO — Two former neighbors got into a violent argument outside the Ignacio Pines Apartments on the night of July 27. The incident culminated in one man being arrested for an assault with a belt.
Apparently, several men were involved in an overheated verbal dispute. Police officers were summoned to the scene after the argument escalated and took a violent turn.
This disturbance occurred on Los Robles Road, near the intersection with Alameda del Prado. The incident is still under investigation and therefore it remains unclear what circumstances provoked what happened.
Allegedly, the suspect who is a carpenter used his belt to vandalize the victim’s vehicle, hitting it with the buckle. Then the suspect purportedly used his belt and buckle to strike his former neighbor.
Responding officers arrested a Novato resident, 26-year-old Hector S. Hernandez De La Cruz. He was handcuffed and taken into custody at 11:22 p.m.
Hernandez De La Cruz was booked into Marin County Jail on July 28 at 1:28 a.m. He remains in custody behind bars in lieu of $50,000 bond.
Two open charges are pending against him. Hernandez De La Cruz is presently charged with assault with a deadly weapon likely to produce great bodily injury PC 245(A). His other charge is vandalism PC 594(B)(1).